bill: jennifer, it is clear in the book, based on the excerpts, it is clear, i should say, that this is a political decision as much as anything else. >> reporter: absolutely. in fact the timing of the book and the book's publishing appears time to sway the midterm elections showing the democratic base he roll opposed the war in afghanistan though he agreed to send 30,000 more troops, now, this is what he said according to bob woodward, when he was -- when the request for 40,000 troops came in. he said, i'm not doing ten years, he told secretary of defense gates and secretary of state hillary rodham clinton at a meeting on october 26th, 2009, i'm not doing long termination-building, i'm not spending a trillion dollars. i have two years with the public on this and i want an exit strategy and i cannot lose the whole democratic party. bill? bill: jennifer, these are quotes now from the president's national security team about afghan president hamid karzai. how did they view him. do they think he's capable? and, more? >> reporter: well, in fact the u.s. ambassador to afghanistan, karl ik